U.S. Astronaut and Russian Cosmonauts Return to Earth Together as War in Ukraine Continues

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Two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut have returned to Earth from the International Space Station amid growing tension over Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

NASA's Mark Vande Hei and the Russian Space Agency's Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov landed safely in Kazakhstan on Wednesday after leaving the ISS aboard the same capsule, according to Reuters.

"Beautiful out here," Vande Hei, whose 355-day mission set a new U.S. record, said after landing, per the Associated Press. The previous record of 340 days was set back in 2016 by retired astronaut Scott Kelly.

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There was much speculation about whether the turmoil between the countries would spill over onto space affairs.

"People have problem on Earth. On orbit ... we are one crew," Shkaplerov said in a live NASA TV broadcast on Tuesday, according to the AP. "The space station is a symbol of "friendship and cooperation and ... future of exploration of space."

Even before the invasion began, Vande Hei said he avoided avoided discussions on political turmoil, per the news agency. "I'm not sure we really want to go there," he said.

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Russia's attack on Ukraine continues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades. Details of the fighting change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. More than a million Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.

The invasion, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.

With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.

Putin, 69, insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy, 44, vowed not to bend. "Nobody is going to break us, we're strong, we're Ukrainians," he told the European Union in a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.